NMUSAF Piper PA-48E Enforcer for sale

[4RG.I.'S]

Just saw this,WOW!...

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?s- ... 8OQrlUMk8w

[wendovertom]

Wow - it could not be that hard to get a hold of a lycoming engine and an INSANE version of a Mustang to enjoy! Hopfully the purchaser does not have to de-mil it. although since the USAF never "bought" it I cannot image you would have to.

Tom P.

[quemerford]

Shame: couldn't they have donated it to a deserving museum?

[sandiego89]

I'm ok with an attempt to sell it, it is a type that never went into USAF service, and any money generated could always go towards some deserving projects at the USAF museum. If no decent offer then go the trade or donate route.

Agree Tom it would be quite a hot rod.

Of the 4 that were built, 2 were originally Mustangs, and two (including this one) were new built. So guess there will be little chance a new owner would want to de-Enforcer it, paint invasion stripes on it an call it a Mustang.

[quemerford]

So guess there will be little chance a new owner would want to de-Enforcer it, paint invasion stripes on it an call it a Mustang.

Never say "never" - money doesn't buy taste.

[p51]

I find it odd that the museum could just sell a plane in their collection to anyone with the money.
Sure, I know that museums do "under the table" deals all the time (a well-known military museum once wanted something in my collection, and invited me to come stroll through their collection shelves to 'shop' for what I'd take in trade, I told them to [bleep] off), but it just seems odd.
All that said, the flip side of this is that maybe this thing will fly someday, and that would be very interesting to see as I missed seeing one fly in the original tests by an hour once.

Never say "never" - money doesn't buy taste.

-Quoted for truth

[Dan Jones]

How come they never went the simple route and just put a Allison on a Skyraider?

[k5083]

They did, and called it the A2D Skyshark, and it didn't turn out to be so simple!

August

[mike furline]

Of the 4 that were built, 2 were originally Mustangs, and two (including this one) were new built. So guess there will be little chance a new owner would want to de-Enforcer it, paint invasion stripes on it an call it a Mustang.

Were any or many original P-51 parts used in the new builds? The cockpit left side console looks familiar.

[DoraNineFan]

Of the 4 that were built, 2 were originally Mustangs, and two (including this one) were new built. So guess there will be little chance a new owner would want to de-Enforcer it, paint invasion stripes on it an call it a Mustang.

Were any or many original P-51 parts used in the new builds? The cockpit left side console looks familiar.

I believe that three original P-51Ds were used as donor airframes for the Enforcer prototypes. I see no reason for a buyer to return it back to stock P-51D condition and it would be a unique aircraft to own.

[JohnB]

And since it was presumably exhaustively evaluated by Piper, the Air Force ...and who knows who else...a potential owner would have a lot of documentation on the form of test notes and perhaps a POH.I

Is the engine well supported?

[Tulio]

Is the Enforcer "for sale" or for "exchange"?

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Colle ... e-Program/


Saludos,


Tulio

[Jim MacDonald]

Good catch, Tulio. It looks like it was put on Trade-a-Plane to drum up business for this plane in their Exchange Program. Wonder what happens if they don't find an exchange partner? Sell? Keep it in storage? Scrapped?

Does anyone know what happened to the other three Enforcers?

Mac

[Mike]

One is in the Test Pilots museum at Edwards AFB

[Jim MacDonald]

Thanks, Mike. I'm pretty sure I saw one when I was based at Edwards 90-93, but can't remember where I saw it. Not in the museum though. Don't think they had one back then, but I do remember some planes being set aside in a fenced in enclosure for the museum(?).

Mac